Mulling cabinet



Nov. 159 1927;

MULLING CABINET alff .gaf t NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES vennen GANO, ornnizasn'rn, new animent", Assrenon :toBnn'ra nitei'trnnnine CORPORATION, A conrone'rion or :anw annsnv.

MULLING CABINET.

Application ined october 4, ieee. senat No. 139,296.

rthis invention relatesto apparatus for conditioning sheets of leatherprior to its use in the manufacture ot leather articles and isparticularly applicable 4to mulling cabinets for conditioningandsottening shoe leather to withstand the stretching' and tormingstrains accompanying the forming ot leather into slices.r

As is well `knovvn in the shoe making art the sections of leather thatgo to make up the uppers and soles of shoes are subjected to strainsduring the lasting and solelaying operations. There are times when theseoperations extend over a substantial length ottime and consequently ithas been the custom to precondition the leather by tempering7 orsoftening the leather by applying Water to it in various Ways.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a conditioning cabinetvor mulling cabinet in which leather maybe placed and be moistened so asto make it readily pliable. n accordance with this invention a closedcabinet is provided having means thereiny for maintaining the air Withinthe cabinet substantially saturated with moisture. As a means formaintaining this condition in the cabinet this invention contemplatesplacing a heated open Water tank in an insulated portion or chamber ofthe cabinet with suitable baille Walls to direct the induced current otinoistened air arising from and around thetank. i

A more detailed description ivill now be given in connection With thedrawings in Which:

Fig. 1 is a` front elevation partly in section of a cabinet embodyingthe `principles ot' this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along line 2-2 ot' Figl; and

Fin'. 3 is a li'aginentary end section showing; the pitch ot the floor.

rlllie cabinet 1 may be maderof sheet metal and is entirely closed andis composed ot' tivo sides or ends 2, a back 3, a front 4 having a door5 therein, a pitched i'loor 6 and a pitched root 7 joined together inany convenient manner so as t0 form an enclosure or cabinet. The floor 6is pitched to the rear to drain any condensation rearwardly and out otthe outlet 6a in the rear of the iioor. One side or end 2 is insulatedwith a layer ot' insulating material such as asbestos and an insulatingpartitionv 2a is supported `between the front andba'ck at a relativelyshort distance from the insulated end thus forining an insulatedconditioning chamber therebetween. This partition extends from back `to`front and `may be supported thereupon by angle pieces, but does notextend `from top to bottom, the partition stopping short `thereof toallow air to enter below the 'to :the side 2 of the cabinet. `Water isfed to the tank through an inlet pipe ll and is maintained at a constantlevel by means of a ball float valve 12. An overflow pipe 18 and drainpipe let are also provided.` An inspection hole is cut into `the sideWall adjacent the floatl valve and ris covered with a suitable insulatedcover 14a to enable one to inspect and regulate `the valve. In thebottom of the Water tank there are provided tivo heating elements l5such as electric heatingeleinents one being positioned at l.each endoit` the tank. Attached to the t\vo insulated` walls adjacent the topedges of the Water tank are tivo horizontal baille plates 16 which areinclined upwardly and extend partially over the open tank. A thirdbaille plate 17 is supported so that one end portion issuspendedvertically over the center of the Water tank and "from this end itcurves upwardly and parallels one side of the pitched root a shortdistance down therefrom. ,A sheet ot' fabric 18 is suspended very closeto` the other side of the pitched root to absorb any condensation thatmay drip from the sheet metal top. The baille 17 .Will catch anycondensation that may drip Jfrom the roof upon that side of the cabinet.

The major portion of the cabinet is supplied With railings 19 upon whichthe leather to be treated is hung, it being obvious that trays or anyother supporting means may be employed, for that purpose.

The entire cabinet is mounted upon four legs 20 and a pan 21 is placedunder the opening in the floor of the cabinet to catch the. drainagewater from thefloor and the overflow and drain water from the tank.

The conditioning chamber between the two insulating walls having a warmbody of water therein will be at a higher' temperature than the rest ofthe cabinet and consequently there will be a tendency for the air torise in the chamber and circulate. The hot inclined side walls coactingwith the insulated partition andthe outer wall of the cabinet will givea double chimney effect to the conditioning chamber and induce a strongcurrent ot air upwardly. This current of warm air indicated by thearrows will be directed across the open tank of water by the horizontalbattles and will absorb considerable moisture. The current. will then bedirected upwardly by the baille 17 and across the cabinet to the apexot' the roof and from there it will. drop down as it becomes cooler andtravel across the floor and again up the conditioning chamber completingthe cycle.

In this manner a continuous current of substantially saturated air iskept circulating through the cabinet without the aid of blowers or anymoving mechanism.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the embodiment hereindisclosed by way `ol illustration without departing from the yenclosureincluding a water tank therein having diverging sides and an open top,means for heating said tank and baille plates for directing the inducedcurrent of air across the tank and the enclosure.

2. A mulling cabinet comprising an enclosure, a conditioning chambertherein formed by an insulated partition member extending across thedepth of the enclosure and A lying intermediate of the top and bottom otthe enclosure and means within said chamber for inducing a current ofair in said chamber including a water tank therein having divergingsides and an open top, means for heating said tank and battle plates fordirecting the induced current of air across the open top ot said tank.

3. A inulling cabinet comprising an enclosure, a conditioning chambertherein formed by an insulated partition member e'xtending across thedepth of the enclosure and lying intermediate of the top and bottom ofthe enclosure and means within said chamber l'or inducing a current olair in said chamber including a water tank therein having dirci-gingsides and an open top, means tor heating said tank, inclined hori-Zonta] baille plates for directing the induced current of air across thewater tank and a baffle plate for directing the induced current of airacross the top ot the enclosure andy for collecting and returningproducts of condensation to said tank.

el. A mulling cabinet. comprising an e11- closure. a conditioningchamber therein lormed by an insulated partition member extending acrossthe depth of the enclosure and lying intermediate of the top and bottomof the enclosure and means within said chamber for inducing a current ofair in said chamber' including a water tank therein having dircrgingsides and an open top, means for heating said tank, inclined horizontalbaille plates for directing the induced current of air across the watertank and ay baile plate `for directing the induced current of air acrossthe enclosure, said latter baille plate being suspended with a verticalportion disposed substantially midway of the open top of the tank.

5. A mulling cabinet comprising an en# closure, aconditioning chambertherein formed by an insulated partition member extending across thedepth of the enclosure and lying intermediate of the top and bottom ofthe enclosure and means within said chamber for inducing a current otair in said chamber including a water tank therein having divergingsides and an open top, means for heating said tank,inclined horizontalbaille plates for directing the induced current of air across the watertank, a baile plate for directing the induced current of air across theenclosure, said latter baflle plate having a vertical portion disposedsubstantially mid way of the open top ol the tank and an inclinedportion disposed parallel to a portion of the top of the enclosure.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

VERNON CANO.

